Neapolitan Mastiff

History, origin & features

The Naples Mastiff originates from the south of the Italian peninsula, as its name suggests. It is one of the direct descendants of the large molosses used by the Roman legions, alongside which it long served as a fighting and guard dog. The breed spread throughout Europe with the military conquests of the Roman Empire.

Gradually, they were assigned to guard cattle herds, farms and homes. The breed went into decline from the 19th century onwards. Renewed interest in the breed was seen after the end of the 2nd World War, thanks in particular to the work of dog writer Piero Scanziani, who had been selecting the best specimens since the early 1930s. The Naples Mastiff is a very large dog, with a particularly imposing appearance. They have powerful, heavy bones and a massive, stocky body. Coat: short (1.5 cm maximum), hard and rough to the touch, dense, uniformly smooth and fine, with no feathering.
Color: gray, leaden gray, black, brown, fawn, possibly with small white markings on chest and toe tips. These colors may be brindle.
Head: short, massive, with very supple, drooping skin and many folds and wrinkles. The skull is broad and flat. The stop is well defined.
Ears: relatively small, triangular, flat, drooping against the cheeks.
Eyes: set wide apart, slightly deep-set, iris color darker than coat color.
Body: 10% longer than the height at the withers. The back is broad, the ribcage ample, the croup broad and well muscled, the chest open and well muscled.
Tail: very thick at the base, strong, tapering towards the tip. Good length, reaching to the hock joint. Carried hanging and saber-like at rest. Raised horizontally or slightly higher than the back when the dog is in action.